Service switch



A. B. RYPINSK.

SERVICE SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 192|.

L, Patented' Deo. 5,1922.

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SERVICE SWITCH.

APILICATION FILED Amm. 192x.

LS? 77. Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

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ALBERT B. RYFENSKI, OF BROOKLYN', NEW YQR'K, ASSEGNO?, T0 THOMAS E. MURRAY,

0F BROOKLYN, NEW YGRK.

SERVCE SWITCH.

Application tiled April 2, 1921,.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, ALBERT B. RYrINsKi, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, county of Kings, State ofv New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Service Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention provides certain improve ments applicable to the service switches leading from the service lines of electric companies to the'houses, factories, etc. of customers. v The invention lis particularly useful in connection with the occasional testing of the customers meter by the electric company, and provides means whereby such testing can bemost easily done and with the least interference with the conditions.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention. V

F ig. 1 is a plan of the connections, switch blades and fuses in the switch box leading into the meter and from the house, for a three-wire system;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereoi'with the house switch open;

Fig. 3 is a similar view with all connections tol the meter open so that the meter may be tested;

Fig. l is a horizontal section of a detail;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of the devices i'or connecting a house switch with ya service switch;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the same S5 on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5; I

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the application of the invention to a two-wire system. i Y Referring to the embodiment of the in- 4o vention illustrated, the service wires 1, 2

and 3 lead into the switch box and the house wires, 4;, 5 and 6 lead therefrom to the house. 7 and 8 are coils in the meter.

The wires 1 and t lead into and out of the at irst coil and the wires 3 and 6 into and out of the second coil. The wires 2 and 5 constitute a neutral line which does not pass through the meter.

The wire 1 leads first to a fuse terminal 5o 9 thence through a fuse 10 to the opposite terminal y11 and thence through a blade or switch 12, pivoted on the terminal block 11, to a terminal block 13 with the usual spring blades 14 for engagement with the at end of the switch blade, the terminal block Serial No. 457,376.

block 18 to which the house wire 4.- is directly connected. Similarly the other active service wire 3 is connected through Jinse terminal 19, fuse 20 and terminal block 2l carrying pivoted blade switch 22 to the spring blade 23 of'a terminal block 24 which is connected to the meter coil 8. And the outgoing wire from this coil leads through the terminal block 25 and spring blades 26 to the free end oii` the blade switch 27 which is pivoted on the terminal block 28 which is connected directly to the house wire 6.

rlhe neutral service wire 2 leads to a. terminal block 29 carrying a pivoted blade switch 30 engaged by a spring blade 31 on a block 32 which is connected directly to the neutral house wire 5.

rlhe three switches 17, 30 and-27 constitute a triple pole house switch and are gener/ally connected together as for example by means of a cross-bar 33, Fig. 2, with an operating handle 34. `When the user wishes to discontinue the supply he opens this triple'pole switch as indicated, which disconnects the several house wires, but leaves the wires unbroken leading from the service lines into the meter and with the fuses 10 v and 20 in the lines.

When the meter is to be tested it is desirable to be able to continue the supply from they service lines to the house, shunting out the meter and leaving its terminals free `for connectinon to the testing equipment. For this purpose l provide means forestablishing proper electric connections between the service switches land the house switches so that although the switches are 'open to break the connections to the meter, yet the supply to the house remains unbroken, and the Jfuses remain in the operating circuit. This position is shown in Fig. 3 and a convenient device is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 for establishing the necessary elec tric connections and also for lockingv the `necessary switches together mechanically so that they can be opened Aby a single operation. rlhese connecting devices are indicated as a whole by the numeral 35. Figs. 1 (where their position is indicated reguar switch handle 34 will open the two l cnil in dotted lines) and 3 show that they areVY meant to connect the switches l2 and 17 and the switches 2'? and 22. This device com prises arms electrically connected together and adapted to engage the two blades which are to be connected. rheconnecting member is made of a pair of plates 36 and 37 having arms 38 and 39`respectively spaced apart so as' to frictionally embrace the switch blades. These two plates are welded or otherwise .fastened together. fi. spindle i0 passes loosely through them and carries lined on its lower Fig.' 6 the connecting member is pressed down so as to embrace the two switch blades. The spindle is then pushed down by the handle 42 until the cross-piece 41 lies below 'the levelof the under edges of the switch blades, after which the handle and the spindle l0 are turned to bring the ends of the cross piece under 'the blades.

The connecting device carries also means tor pressing the cross-piece up against the blades so as to malte good electrical contact and to lock the parts together mechanically. For this purpose there is mounted on the connecting memberacam 43, through which the spindle passes freely, and there is fixed on the spindle a cooperating cam 4e. rlhese cams are so located as to permit the spindle to assume its lowest position with the crosspiece arranged longitudinally between switch blades. 'lhen as the handle and spindle are turned the cam 4li-4 rides up on the cam i3 until the cross-piece has been turned to a transverse position, the parts being so proportioned that at the same time the cross-piece will bear hard up against the under edges of the switch blades. With the straight blade type of switches shown the connecting devices may be applied at any point in the length of theswitches and against the lower edges of the blades. But the switches, ofcourse, may be of otherI designs and. provided with other edges for engagement by the clamping cross-piece.

The two connecting and clamping devices bein lfastened in place, a lifting ot the switches l2 and 17 and also the switches 2!" and 2, but will leave the house wires connected to the appropriate service wires through the shunting devices 35 instead oit through. 'the meter coils. The fuses l0 and 20 will remain in their appropriate posi-` tions in the line. rlhe terminal blocks 13, l5, and 25 will then constitute free termin nals'of the meter coils, for attachmentpf that the connecting device 35 is independent of the permanent equipment withinl the switch box. Also it does not require any modification of the usual simple 'forms of switch and switch and fuse terminals. rlhe fuses may be inserted at any usual or suitn able points between the service lines and the corresponding :meter terminals. Vthen inserted lat the points illustrated they will be left inthe house line during a testing op-A eration. The invention is applicable also to various switching arrangements other than that shown and to equipments in which there is no fuse directly included. llt is applicable also to installations having terminals which lead to some other apparatus than a meter,` which apparatus is to have its terminals isolated for connection to a testing 0r other instrument. y

ln order to maintain the house supply, the switch 30 which is normally connected mechanically to the house switches 22 and 27 so as to open with them, must remain closed. Therefore, this switch 30 is provided with a detachable connection to the switch operating handle 3s or cross-bar 33.

rlhe switch blade has a transverse flange a5 which enters'treely a groove i6 extending transversely across the face of the bar 33. A pin 47 extends through the handle 34, with a button i8 on its outer end byy which it may be manipulated and with a collar or shoulder i9 near its inner end against which bears a spring iO-tending to force the end oit' the pin into -a hole in the flange of the switch blade and to loclr the two together as shown. The end of the pin a7 may be beveled on its underside so that, assuming the switch 30 closed, the lowering of the handle will causejthe pin to snap into engagement with the flange of the switch blade. 0r, if the pin is not beveled, the operator can hold it out by means of the button .48 until the parts are in register and then release it. In the ordinary operation of the'switch by the customerthe central blade 30 will be always held in engagement with the switch operating handle.

When the meter is to be tested, however,

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the operator will hold the button 48 out' while lifting the switch handle to the position of Fig. 3, and thus will. leave the switch 30 in closed position to maintain the house connection.

.ln the diagram, Fig. 7, illustrating a twowire system, the service wire 5l is connected to a ruse 52 and thence to a single blade service switch 53 leading to the meter coil 54e; the outgoing end ot which connects through a single blade house switch 55 with the ingoing house' wire 56. With this an` rangement, when it is desired to test the meter. its terminals may be isolated by first establishing an electric connection between the house and service switches and 53 and then opening the two together, leaving the house' with its regular supply of current through the fuse 52.

Though I have described with great particilarity of detail certain embodiments of my invention, yet it is not to be understood therefrom that the invention is restricted to the specific embodiments described. Various modifications thereof in detail and in the arrangement of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the following claims.

. What I claim is- 1. The combination with terminals for an electric meter or other apparatus, of a house switch and a service switch, one on a leading in Wire andthe other on a'leading out wire, said switches being separately operable, and means "for establishing an electric and a mechanical connection between them by which they may both be disconnected from the said terminals without cutting off the service to the house.

2, The combination with terminals for an electric meter or other apparatus on a threewire system having two active service wires,

0f a- .house iswitch for each of the three house wires and a service switch for each of the 4two active service wires, said house switches .being operable separately from said service switches, 'and means for establishing an electric connection between each service switch and the corresponding house switch, and a mechanical connection between said switches so that all wires may be disconnected from said terminals without cutting oil' the house service. A

3. A device for connecting a pair of switch vblades comprising electrically connected 'arms` adapted to engage the blades and means for clampingthe blades to the correspondin arms.

4. A dreviee for connecting a pair of switch blades comprising electrically connected arms adapted to engage the blades andcarried by a handle, and means operated by said handle for clamping the blades to the corresponding arms.

5. A device for' connecting a pair of switch A blades com risingl electrically connected arms adapte to engage the blades, a spindle carrying said arms and carrying a cross-l piece at its lower end adapted to be inserted between said blades and turned to engage under edges thereof, and means for pressing said cross-piece upward against the under edges of the blades to clamp them against the corresponding arms.

6. The combination with terminals for an electric meter or other apparatus on a threewire system having two active service wires, of a house switch for each of the three house Wires and a service switch for each of the two active service wires, said house switches being operable separately from said service switches, a fuse for each service wire and means for establishing an electric connection between each service switch vand the corresponding house switch, and a mechanical connection between said switches so that all wires may be disconnected from said terminals without cutting olf the house service.

7 .y The combination with terminals for an electric meter or other apparatus on a threewire system having two active service wires and two active house wires, of a house switch.- for each of the two active house wires and a service switch for each of the two active service wires, said house switches being operable separately from said service switches and means for establishing an electric connection between each service switch and the corresponding house switch and a mechanical connection between said switches s'o that all active wires may be disconnected from the corresponding terminals without cutting off the house service.

8. The combination with terminals for an electric meter or other apparatus on a threewire system having two active service wires and two active house wires, of a house switch for each of the two active house Wires and a service switch for each of the two active service wires, said house'switches being operable separately from said service switches, a fuse for each active service wire, and means for establishing an electric connection between each service switch and the corresponding house switch and a mechanical connection between saidswitches so that all active wires may be disconnected from the corresponding terminals without cutting ofi' the house service.

In witness whereof, OI have hereunto signed my name.

ALBERT B. RYPINSKI. 

